Bronx District Attorney-elect Darcel Clark Proposes Stronger Oversight and New Reforms for Rikers Island

   Bronx District Attorney-elect Darcel Clark announced her plans to bring stronger accountability and reform to Rikers Island upon taking office.

During her campaign for office, District Attorney-elect Clark released the VISTA plan, outlining her ideas on how to improve accountability, efficiency and responsiveness in the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.  While implementing the VISTA plan will be of utmost priority, under District Attorney Clark the office will be specifically focused on providing strong leadership in addressing long lingering issues associated with Rikers Island.

“There’s no sugarcoating it - we face a crisis at Rikers Island and the next Bronx District Attorney must play a lead role in addressing the very real challenges there,” said Clark. “Rikers is part of the Bronx, and if elected, I will use the power of the Bronx District Attorney’s office to bring together all stakeholders to get the reforms we need.”

Following her election on November 3rd, District Attorney-elect Clark has already met with a number of key stakeholders who are like-mindedly focused on bringing meaningful change to Rikers Island.  Clark believes collaboration is imperative to begin to make progress.  

“No office can do this alone – these are issues that ultimately can only be resolved with input from the Department of Correction, the Board of Corrections, the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the City Council, the Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association (COBA), the Chief Judge, and the Office of Court Administration, the Department of Investigations’ Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Correction, and NYPD” she continued.

“Everybody has to do their part, but I believe we can find consensus to restore order and improve the safety of all those who are either incarcerated or work on the Island.”    

District Attorney Clark’s reforms for Rikers Island will include the following:

• Collaboration, including joint investigative training with the Bronx DA’s Office, the City’s Department of Correction, the Department of Investigations’ Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Correction, and NYPD to actively investigate and prosecute crime at Rikers
• Creation of the Rikers Island Task Force in the Bronx District Attorney’s office that will be specifically trained on Rikers Island procedures and policies to address issues of violence, narcotics trafficking, sexual assaults, mental health issues and other concerns specific to Rikers
• Supporting bail reform for low level, non-violent offenders
• The assignment of an Assistant Bronx District Attorney and other staff to specifically facilitate real time prosecution of Rikers cases and to help eliminate delays caused by  transferring inmates to the Bronx Courts for arraignment
• Reduction and the ultimate elimination of the case backlog within the District Attorney’s office and assurance of timely prosecutions, so no one remains on Rikers any longer than appropriate
• Working closely with New York City’s four other District Attorney’s Offices to jointly prosecute underlying inmate offenses and their Rikers Island offenses
• Demanding that our criminal court system allocate appropriate and sufficient resources to the Bronx, including the placement of a judge on Rikers Island to expedite arraignments and other court proceedings related to the prosecution of Rikers cases

• The request for adequate funding from the City Council to ensure the District Attorney has the proper resources to properly investigate and prosecute Rikers caseloads and reduce backlogs
• Bringing together the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the Department of Correction, the New York Police Department, the Department of Investigations’ Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Correction, the City Council, COBA, and the Board of Correction to develop effective reforms and proper oversight for Rikers

“The problems at Rikers cannot be allowed to continue.  As the Bronx District Attorney, my focus will be on using this office to aggressively pursue all criminal activity in every corner of the Bronx, and that specifically includes Rikers Island,” said Clark. “I will demand and expect that my office will be prepared to achieve real-time prosecution on every case possible, and I look forward to working with all stakeholders to bring safety and the rule of law to Rikers Island.”

A lifelong resident of the Bronx, District Attorney Clark was raised in Soundview Houses and attended Bronx public schools before going to college and law school. Prior to her election as the Bronx District Attorney, she served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx for 13 years before being appointed a Criminal Court Judge by Mayor Giuliani.  Elected in the Bronx as a State Supreme Court Justice in 2005, Clark later on was elevated to the Appellate Division by Governor Cuomo, serving in that capacity for three years.  

CONSTITUENT SERVICE DAY Monday, November 16, 2015 10:00am - 2:00pm

REP. CHARLES B. RANGEL
INVITES YOU TO
CONSTITUENT SERVICE DAY
Monday, November 16, 2015
10:00am - 2:00pm
(Program from 10:00-11:30am at Auditorium)
Bronx Library Center
310 East Kingsbridge Rd, Bronx, NY 10458
Congressman Rangel and staff, as well as representatives from government agencies, will be available to meet with you to address your questions and concerns about Washington and federal benefits.

PRESENTATIONS BY:John Shallman, Social Security AdministrationLakezia Carmichael, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesJermaine Williams, Human Resources AdministrationEarleen Sealy and Olga Alvarez, Department of Housing and Urban Developmentand Representatives from the Veterans Administration
RSVP: http://rangel.house.gov/BronxEvents
Questions?
Visit RANGEL.HOUSE.GOV or Call 212-663-3900 

100 PERCENT Saturday November 14, 2015

100 PERCENT

By Robert Press

Follow The Money 

    

       In the latest corruption trial against a New York State elected official it is Follow the Money. Did former New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver receive what is being called 'Kick Backs' for client referrals. It seems that is what U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara is trying to prove to a jury. The U.S. Attorney started out by trying to prove Silver steered money for cancer research, by collecting fees for referrals to a private law firm.   The U.S. Attorney then went after a real estate company that was doing business with the state also saying that Silver received referral fees. However the crushing blow to Silver may come early next week as the U.S. Attorney is expected to call Mike Whyland who served as Silver's spokesperson when Silver was the Assembly Speaker. By the way Mike Whyland now is working for the current Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. 

   Bronx Councilman Andy King has been fined $17,000.00 and ordered to repay $26,971.00 in matching funds by the NYC Campaign Finance Board. The CFB said that in 2013 the King campaign payed his wife $7,000.00 without filing the proper paperwork to justify the expense which was filed almost one year after the election. King also charged his campaign $3,568.70 for a Verizon phone line at his house, while he also had billed the campaign for a separate office phone line. 

   As we mentioned in two previous postings, why is it so important that the mayor's Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, and Zoning for Quality and Affordability City Planning Commission Text Amendments be rushed through and jammed down the throats of the people of New York City? Follow the Money, and you will find that some of New York City's largest players have joined together to help the MIH and ZQA along. So what's in it for them you may ask? If the two zoning text amendments are passed there may be no control of what your neighborhood may look like in a few years. One chapter in the book 'Follow the Money'  is that owners of senior housing that was built under the HUD 202 Program which mandated a certain amount of parking requirement would be able to build on said parking lots if the MIH and ZQA text amendments get adopted. What that means is that the Hebrew Home of Riverdale would be allowed to build a major senior residence in an R1-1 zoned area which is zoned for only one family homes. Mind you this senior housing would be out of the price range of the majority of New York City residences costing as much or more than some of the luxury housing in Riverdale. The next step would be since the Hebrew Home could build in an R1-1 zone, so would the Schervier Home in Community Board 8 which is also in an R1-1 zone. By the way in anticipation of MIH and ZQA text amendments passing the Schervier Home has purchased a one family home on the adjoining lot next to its parking lot that they would then build a large scale facility, just like the Hebrew Home. 

    Now you know why the MIH and ZQA zoning text amendment changes are so important to certain people. There are 39 such HUD 202 senior homes citywide where this would happen providing 2,000 new senior units. That is the key word 'Senior' not affordable as CASA said at the Bronx Borough meeting on the MIH and ZQA proposals. It is not housing that is affordable to all, but a wolf in sheep's clothing, and I say that wolf is named Bill deBlasio.

     In the upcoming events Department - Tuesday November 17th Community Board 6 is going to revisit their quick approval of the MIH and ZQA text amendments by the City Planning Commission. It seems that after the Bronx Borough meeting on MIH and ZQA some of their unanswered questions to CPC were answered by others, and they are going to hold another meeting to discuss the two issues, and then vote to either reaffirm or like 10 0f the 12 Bronx Community Boards vote to disapprove the MIH and ZQA text amendments. That could leave Bronx Community Board 9 as the only Bronx CB voting in favor of MIH and ZQA, and I would believe that Community Board 9 may be doing the same thing as CB 6 is doing.

   Thursday November 19th is Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr,'s Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebration at Salsa con Fuego from 12 - 3 PM. Salsa con Fuego is located at 2297 Cedar Avenue (right next to the Northbound entrance to the Major DEEgan Highway at Fordham Road). 

     Tuesday December 8th at 12:30 in the Bronx County Building Veterans Memorial Hall located at 851 Grand Concourse will be Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s Annual Chanukah Celebration and Menorah Lighting Ceremony. 

      If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column, or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on this blog you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press. This column will be back in print in less than a month. 

    

NPRDP Launches 2016 Scholarship Program

National Puerto Rican Day Parade, Inc.

NATIONAL PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE

LAUNCHES 2016 SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

 

Applications available now!  Deadline is Jan. 15, 2016

 

Organization will triple the dollar figure

and number of scholarships to be awarded, since 2014

 

 

 The National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP) today launched its 2016 Scholarship Awards Program.   Applications are now available and will be accepted until Friday, January 15, 2016.

 

The organization will grant 60 scholarship awards, up from 15 awarded in 2014 and 30 in 2015.  In total, NPRDP will provide $120,000 for scholarships in 2016, up from $30,000 in 2014 and $60,000 this year. 

 

"We are well on the way to reach our goal of providing 100 scholarships, by the year 2017", said Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, Chairperson of NPRDP.  "When we took leadership of this organization two years ago, our mission was to return it to its roots of empowering the Puerto Rican community through education, culture and civic engagement.  Our Scholarship Program remains at the core of our work, and the Board looks forward to continue working to enhance it".

 

NPRDP established the Scholarship Awards Program to help promote the pursuit of higher education within the community.  

 

To be eligible to participate in the 2016 Scholarship Awards Program, applicants must:

*  Be of Puerto Rican descent;

*  Have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better

*  Participate in an interview with a member(s) of the Selection Committee;

*  Be between the ages of 17 and 25 and enrolled in a 4-year institution, for applicants already in college;

*  Be in their senior year, for high school applicants. 

 

Application packages must include: a completed application form; an essay; a written biography; a volunteer community service statement; two letters of recommendation, of which one letter of recommendation must be from the site where the student performs his/her volunteer work; official academic transcripts and head shot photo.  Letters of recommendation should be requested from teachers, professors, counselors, mentors, clergy, community leaders, etc.  The letters should highlight the applicant's volunteer community service, length of the relationship with the candidate, and the specific contributions the applicant has made to the community.

 

To download the application package, the public can visitwww.nprdpinc.org.  

Packages must be submitted electronically toNPRDP.Scholars@gmail.com by Friday, January 15, 2016.  Letters of recommendation and sealed transcripts should be mailed together to National Puerto Rican Day Parade, P.O Box 975, New York, NY 10272 by Friday, January 22, 2015.  Materials received after this date will result in the applicant's disqualification.  Applicants selected for an interview will be notified by email, and interviews will take place the weeks of February 22 and February 29, 2016.

SENATOR KLEIN ANNOUNCEs $50,000 IN FUNDING FOR HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE PROGRAM IN THE BRONX

Countdown to Fitness program encourages Soundview residents to lead healthy, active lifestyle

Comprehensive 10-week program includes physical fitness classes, nutrition demonstrations and health assessments

State Senator Jeff Klein announced $50,000 in state funding for the Countdown to Fitness program at a luncheon event today at the Shorehaven Community Center

Over the course of the 10-week program, nearly 70 women from the south Bronx have participated in Zumba, kickboxing and dance classes; learned how to make healthy and delicious recipes like baked apples, sauteed cauliflower and cucumber blueberry salad; and learned more about immunizations, heart disease, cancer screenings and stress management. At the luncheon, Senator Klein will present Countdown to Fitness participants with certificates for completing the Fall program. Another session will be held in Spring.

Above - Senator Jeff Klein has lunch with the members of the Countdown to Fitness Program before each participant was given their certificate for completing the 10 week program that Senator Klein funded.

Below - Senator Klein tells of the importance of fitness programs such as the Countdown to Fitness program he funded.

Above - Senator Klein stands with Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez (President/CEO of Urban Health Plan Inc.), and a few Countdown to Fitness participants.

Below - Senator Klein is with all of the ladies who were given certificates as they completed the 10 week Countdown to Fitness program.

Afterwards the ladies got back into the groove of the Countdown to Fitness program by dancing a bit.

Bronx Borough President's Annual Puerto Rican Heritage Celebration Thursday Nov. 19th

  

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. Presents Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebrating the CULTURE, the LAND, and the PEOPLE. Thursday, November 19, 2015              12:00 - 3:00 PM                                     2297 Cedar Avenue (Between West Fordham Road & Landing Road by the Major Deegan Expy.)   Honoring               Angie Martinez                        Radio Personality, Power 105                            Hon. Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniel Justice, Appellate Division Robert Sancho  Head of Government &Community  Affairs for Bronx Lebanon    Geraldo Rivera Media Personality Enjoy an afternoon of music, dancing and delicious Puerto Rican cuisine . For information & to RSVP call 718-590-3522  or email lroldan@bronxbp.nyc.gov                                               Join us as we honor community leaders and their accomplishments.

Bronx Borough President's Chanukah Celebration Tuesday December 8th

'EXCLUSIVE' -- What You Don't Know About the ZQA Text Amendment Proposal

   One of the battles in Bronx Community Board 8 against the proposed 'Zoning For Quality and Affordability" City Planning Commission proposal is that the Hebrew Home would be given a Zoning Text Amendment ot allow for construction of the Hebrew Home high rise senior buildings in an area zoned for only one family homes. The second battle against ZQA is the option of no parking requirement having to be provided in any new senior housing developments. However what is not being provided by the City Planning Commission is that there is a plan to build on 39 current senior building parking lots citywide by the LiveOn NY Affordable Senior Housing Coalition which includes as its members John Kaiteris, Executive Director/CEO, HANAC, Inc., Laura Jervis*, Executive Director, West Side Federation for Senior & Supportive Housing, Susan Albrecht -Association of New York Catholic Homes,  Monsignor Kevin Sullivan -Catholic Charities Archdiocese, Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens, Chinese American Planning Council, Inc., Community Agency for Senior Citizens, Sr. Elizabeth Hasslet & Sr. Lillian McNamara - Encore Community Services, Goddard Riverside Senior Services, Claire Hilger, Jeanette Puryear, & Jim Crocker - Mid-Bronx Senior Citizens Council, New York Foundation for Senior Citizens, Presbyterian Senior Services, Nikki Odlivak - (CASC), Queens Community House, Regional Aid for Interim Needs, Inc., James Lenox House & Carnegie East House, Sabrina Lora, John Napolitano HANAC, Inc., Joseph Girven Association,  Donald Manning, Kay Boonshoft - Jewish Home Lifecare, Gary Gutterman - Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens,  Kevin Queen,  Rimas Jasin,  David Gillcrist -  Project Find,  Ben Thomases, Dr. Anderson Torres -(R.A.I.N.), Emily Kurtz - Council Pia Scarfo,  SEBCO Senior Services,  Stuart Kaplan & Evelyn Wolff - Selfhelp Community Services, Sunnyside Community Services,  David V. Pomeranz & Michael Bialek - The Hebrew Home at Riverdale,  YM-YWHA of Washington Heights/Inwood, Judy Zangwill - Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA), and Marty Englisher - Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty.

   The goal of LiveOn NY is to build on 39 current parking lots of existing senior homes of which 13 sites are in the Bronx. The addresses include 1291 Lafayette Avenue, 980 Aldus Street, 669 White Plains Road, 1072 Havemeyer Avenue, 985 East Tremont Avenue, 887 Southern Blvd., 230 East 179th Street, 787 East 138th Street, 2000 Washington Avenue, 780 East 186th Street, 2275 Olinville Avenue, and 2973 Independence Avenue. The 2973 Independence Avenue is a parking lot for the Schervier nursing home and senior residence a major complex in Bronx Community Board 8, which is also in an R1-1 zone which like the Hebrew Home in CB 8 would require a zoning text change. This could be why it is important to CPC to have the Hebrew Home zoning text amendment under the ZQA proposal approved so that the same zoning would apply at the Independence Avenue site. 

   One interesting note about the 39 sites selected by LiveOn NY is that they are all in the HUD 202 program for large residential buildings usually found in R6 zones which required parking lots as per the current ZR 25-25 zoning which prohibits building on these parking lots which LiveOn NY and CPC want to change. This is all outlined in a 66 page report Paving the Way For New Senior Housing - A Site Selection Survey of HUD Parking Lots in New York City dated May 2015 which was available on the LiveOn NY website, which I will bet has already been taken down.